The invention relates to an escalator or a moving walkway construction having a framework, with steps and with a balustrade at both sides of the steps, wherein the balustrade is fastened to balustrade posts.
Escalators and moving walkways have achieved a wide-ranging utilization in the area of transport of public traffic as in underground stations, railway stations and so forth. A fixed stairway is often present parallel to the escalator or moving walkway (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,144,118). Accidents can happen with combined installations of that type as a result of unauthorized climbing over of the escalator or walkway balustrade and jumping onto or jumping off the escalator or moving walkway.
Such accidents can be avoided by partition walls between the escalator/walkway and staircase. However, the mounting of partition walls at the escalator or moving walkway or at the fixed stairway, particularly as a retrofit to an existing construction, is difficult and entails a great deal of work and expense.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an escalator or a moving walkway which can be provided with a partition wall in a simple and efficient manner.
According to the invention the foregoing and other objects are met by an escalator or a moving walkway having clamps for profile tubes provided at the escalator framework and optionally also at the escalator""s balustrade posts.
According to the invention the escalator framework is thus provided at the outset with clamps to which profile tubes can be fixed. Partition walls can then be fastened to the profile tubes. Neither drilling nor welding is needed at the installation location for mounting the partition walls. This is accordingly of great advantage, as drilling or welding of the framework typically requires subsequent static testing of the construction. Moreover, the assembly time at the installation location is reduced. A further benefit is that the partition walls can later be easily demounted for exchange or repair.
Preferably, U profile members for reception of the profile tubes are provided at the lower part of the framework. The U-profile members support the profile tubes and prevent the profile tubes from slipping down in the clamps in the event that clamps become loose. A further advantage of such a construction is that the profile tubes can be mounted by a workman standing on the step belt; the profile tube can be inserted from above through the open clamps and into the U-profile member. The clamps, which may be disposed above the U-profile members, are accessible from the step belt.
The clamps and U-profile members serve to fasten the profile tubes to which the partition walls are fastened. The partition walls can be fastened not only on the outer side, but also on the inner side of the profile tubes. In this manner the profile tubes are covered to lessen the risk of contact injury.
Preferably, the partition walls at the outer side are fastened at least at their underside from within, so that at least the lower fastening elements are covered. This not only improves the appearance of the construction, but also prevents unauthorized removal of the fastening elements. In order to achieve the same effect for the inner partition walls, the lower fastening elements of the partition walls at the inner side can be covered by the balustrade. If it is desired that the upper fastening elements should also be invisible, the upper fastening elements of the partition walls can be covered by a cover profile member.
The present invention also embraces a prefabricated partition wall for escalators and moving walkways, wherein outer partition walls and inner partition walls are pre-fastened to profile tubes disposed therebetween. By use of such prefabricated partition walls the assembly time at the place of erection can be further significantly reduced. No modifying operations are necessary at the place of erection; the profile tubes and attached partition walls only have to be mounted to the clamps.